Facebook restricts Ads for Addiction Treatment Centers and Bail Bonds

Based on feedback from people and experts, Facebook Ads will now allow only pre-certified addiction treatment centers to advertise to people in the United States, and will now prohibit ads promoting bail bonds.

People facing addiction or who have loved ones in need should be able to find support without encountering scams or predatory behavior. You can read more about our policies designed to curb predatory behavior in the company’s Advertising Policies. These updates apply to Facebook Ads, Instagram ads, Messenger and Audience Network.

Certifying ads for addiction treatment centers

As more and more people struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, public health experts have warned about some addiction treatment centers that have emerged which fail to meet basic healthcare quality standards. Many of these take part in insurance scams and many keep people in a cycle of addiction with unproven treatment methods. That’s why we’re partnering with LegitScript, a leading third-party certification service, to help prevent bad actors from marketing their services on Facebook and taking advantage of people in need.

Addiction treatment centers that advertise to people in the US on Facebook will now be required to have certification from LegitScript, which will review their background, qualifications, compliance with state legal and regulatory licensing requirements and privacy practices. Once approved by LegitScript, addiction treatment centers must apply in order to advertise on Facebook to people in the US so we can review their certification.

Prohibiting ads for bail bonds

Faced with the arrest of a loved one, many people lack the money to post bail, leaving them vulnerable to exploitative bail bond offers that can lead to insurmountable debt. Similar to our ban on ads promoting specific kinds of short-term loans, like payday loans, Facebook will now prohibit any ads promoting bail bonds on Facebook. We consulted a wide range of policy experts, advocates and community organizations working in criminal justice to ensure we’re taking the right approach.

In its attempt to make Facebook a place where people can find resources they need, it continue to review our policies in an effort to limit bad actors, as mentioned in the blogpost.